


Fate Steps In

by Magicofisis



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Hogwarts Era, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-03-15
Updated: 2006-03-15
Packaged: 2018-10-27 18:19:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 925
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10814250
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Magicofisis/pseuds/Magicofisis
Summary: Neville and Ginny share a carriage on the Hogwarts Express and discuss their summer holidays.





	Fate Steps In

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Annie, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [The Quidditch Pitch](http://fanlore.org/wiki/The_Quidditch_Pitch), which went offline in 2015 when the hosting expired, at a time I was not able to renew it. I contacted Open Doors, hoping to preserve the archive using an old backup, and began importing these works as an Open Doors-approved project in April 2017. Open Doors e-mailed all authors about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact us using the e-mail address on [The Quidditch Pitch collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/thequidditchpitch/profile).

  
Author's notes: [](http://call-me-ps.livejournal.com/profile)[**call_me_ps**](http://call-me-ps.livejournal.com/) requested Neville/Ginny, but she didn't think I'd write it. If your heart is in your dream, no request is too extreme. Unbetaed. Title might possibly have been inspired by recent trip to the Magic Kingdom.  


* * *

  
  
Neville sat alone in the last compartment of the Hogwarts Express. There were only a few seventh years returning – he and Dean would have their whole dormitory room to themselves. He'd wanted to stay behind, to train up and fight along side the members of the Order, but Gran had said no. Even though he was officially of age, Gran still controlled him and she probably always would.  
  
He was surprised when Ginny Weasley opened the door, dragged her trunk in behind her and asked to join him. Without Harry and Ron around, he'd assumed that Ginny would simply go back to hanging around her sixth year friends. He jumped from his seat and loaded her trunk onto the luggage rack, shyly returning her friendly smile. He'd been crazy for Ginny since fourth year, when he took her to the Yule Ball, but unfortunately, so had lots of other boys. He'd never stood a chance against Michael Corner or Dean or (especially) Harry.  
  
"How was your summer?" asked Ginny. Neville noted that she sat down next to him rather than in the opposite corner. He found this encouraging.  
  
"Great," lied Neville. "I rebuilt my Gran's old greenhouse and planted loads of new varieties of herbs and stuff. And, um, I passed my Apparation test."  
  
"That's fantastic," replied Ginny unenthusiastically.  
  
"What about yours?" Neville asked with trepidation.  
  
Ginny snorted. "It was just peachy. Let's see… My formerly gorgeous but now disfigured brother married a woman that I thoroughly despise, my twin brothers got hauled up in front of the Wizengamot for selling products that were aiding and abetting the Death Eaters, and my favorite brother and his two best friends are going off to pick a fight with Voldemort. Oh, and I forgot to mention that my ex-boyfriend just told me to get on with my life because even if he came back alive, he wouldn't date me again."  
  
Neville frowned. "Harry said that? Because I thought he really liked you."  
  
Ginny looked at him with sad eyes. "Yeah, me too. Lousy summer, eh?"  
  
Neville didn't know what to say. He'd always liked Harry – idolized him even – but at the moment, Neville was glad that Harry wasn't here because then he'd have to punch Harry's lights out. Imagine giving up Ginny once you had her! And here people were always thinking that _he_ was the stupid one.  
  
"What an idiot!" spat Neville savagely.  
  
Ginny seemed surprised by his outburst, and Neville wondered if it would have been wiser to keep his mouth shut. But then she chuckled and a smile played faintly on her lips.  
  
"Harry's all right," she said with a shrug. "I mean, it's decent of him to be honest if he really doesn't want to see me anymore. It's just hard, you know, when you've waited so long for someone to notice you, and they finally do, but it turns out they don't feel the same way."  
  
"Yeah, I know exactly how that is," croaked Neville, slightly horrified that Ginny seemed to have read his mind so perfectly.  
  
She looked at him shrewdly, and he blushed. "You've had this happen to you, too?"  
  
"Similar," Neville said, trying desperately not to blush any more than he already was. "I went out with a girl once, but she was way out of my league and even though we had a good time, she started dating other people after that." Neville swallowed, hoping he'd been vague enough.  
  
"Well, then I'd say she was as big an idiot as Harry. I can't understand why girls can't see what a great guy you are. Someday the perfect girl is going to come along – someone who will appreciate all of your fine qualities."  
  
 _But I don't want anyone else,_ thought Neville. "Thanks, Ginny. That's very nice."  
  
Neville stared out the window, watching the countryside fly past as he avoided talking to Ginny. He tried not to think of the countryside as an analogy of his life – whizzing by while he sat next to the girl of his dreams and said nothing.  
  
He was trying to think of something clever to say, when he heard her call his name.  
  
"Yeah?" he said eloquently.  
  
"That girl, the one you liked. Who was she?" Neville looked away to avoid her gaze.  
  
"Oh, it doesn't really matter. I'd rather not say."  
  
Ginny reached across and moved Neville's chin so that he had no other choice but to lock his eyes on hers. "Was it…me?"  
  
Neville's blush went all the way up to his hairline. Unable to speak, he merely nodded and jerked his chin away from her hand.  
  
"You're wrong, Neville. I was never out of your league, but it's quite possible that you are out of mine now."  
  
Neville turned back to her. "What do you mean?"  
  
"One witch, slightly used. Heart broken by previous owner."  
  
Neville said, "You know, Ginny, I've been clumsy all my life, but it means I've gotten to be pretty good at fixing things. And the best part is that I don't even need a spell to fix this!"  
  
He leaned over and kissed her firmly on the lips, and he was thrilled when she kissed him back. _Good luck, Harry,_ he thought, _because if you ever try to get her back, you're going to need it._


End file.
